Day 4 - Places to Go

I sat down with pen and paper, and began making a list of the places I would like to go see in Israel.  It seemed so funny to be sitting on my porch in Northern Utah, where the mountains are still covered with snow, and think about the Middle East, a place that is thousands of miles away.  It's almost surreal.

One of the places I am really looking forward to seeing, up-close-and-personal, it the Western Wall.  Also known as the Kotel (Hebrew for "wall") and never referred to as the "Wailing Wall" because it was used as a derogatory remark to describe Jews, who when they saw the Wall for the first time, were so emotional... they cried. 

What draws me to the Wall is that it is still standing after 3000 years.  Even though the 1st Temple (built by King Solomon) and the 2nd Temple (built by Herod) were destroyed, this one Wall remained standing.  It's an incredible testament to strength and determination.

I find it hard to believe that there for 19 years (1948 to 1967), Jews were actually banned from visiting this most holy shrine.  Now it is free for anyone to visit - Jew and non-Jew alike.  When I finally get to see it myself, I will intend to touch the stone bricks and feel the vibration of the thousands that have visited the Wall before me.  I will actually get to touch a piece of history.  It gives me chills just thinking about it.

Here are some of the places I have already come up with - to go see in Israel:

• Western Wall (aka "The Kotel")
• Masada
• Dead Sea 
• Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem)
• Bahai Gardens in Haifa
• City of David - Hezekiah's Tunnel
• Cave of the Patriarchs & Matriarchs
• Biblical Zoo
• Israel Museum
• Rockefeller Museum
• Mount Arbel
• Carmel Forest

I know that many more places will be added to the list, so this is only a start.  But it's all very exciting! 

Note to self:  Need to find out if there are any Labyrinths in Israel.  Wouldn't that be cool?